The present invention relates to a device to hold sheet music against a music stand, and more particularly to such a device which can readily be used with a conventional music stand.
For many decades, perhaps even a century or more, musicians have had the problem of how to reliably hold their sheet music in place. For example, present day music stands generally have three main component parts, namely: a. a back panel against which the sheet music rests, b. a lower support flange which engages the lower edge of the sheet music, and c. a support column or the like which supports the panel and support flange. The problem of keeping the sheet music on the stand becomes particularly difficult when used in an outdoor environment. It is not uncommon to see musicians use a half-dozen clothespins or similar retaining devices, and place these around the periphery of the stand to hold the edges of the sheet music, so as to leave an unimpaired view of the sheet music itself. Not only is this multiplicity of retaining devices cumbersome (particularly when it is necessary to change sheet music), but these retaining devices are quite visible to the audience and take away something of the aesthetic appeal of an orchestral setting.
A search of the United States patent literature discloses a number of devices for retaining sheet music, of books or the like. Typical of these are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 255,649, Merrill, shows a music holder where there are a pair of arms mounted to a slotted plate. The arms can be moved along the slot to various positions to hold the sheet music.
U.S. Pat. No. 290,381, Wood, shows a book holder having a pair of spring-like tongue elements mounted to a structure and adapted to hold the cover of the book. There are two other spring arms having pads on the end to hold the pages of the book.
U.S. Pat. No. 818,579, Swope, discloses what is called a "copyholder" disclosing a base plate having a pair of spring loaded arms mounted thereto. The spring loaded arms are made integral with coil springs which provide the spring actions, and these arms engage the copy.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,360,718, Bromley, discloses a book rest where there are a pair of arms formed integrally with lower coil springs, so that the arms yieldingly engage the book. These are in turn mounted to a horizontal base board.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,947,053, Mason, discloses a book holder where there are a pair of bracket clips mounted to a rest member of a stand. The clips are mounted by a pair of extension arms which fit against the bottom side of the rest member and are retained in that position by bracket bearings.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,352, Mathias, shows a "book holder and shield" which is made of a shield of transparent synthetic resin. There is a rear support panel formed integrally with a transparent holding and viewing panel that is positioned in front of the book being held.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,807, Manso, shows a book holding device where there is a main support panel and a pair of wire hooks mounted over the top side of the panel. These hooks engage the top edge of the book pages.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective and relatively simple holding device for sheet music, which holding device can be quite conveniently and quickly mounted to a conventional music stand in a manner to reliably hold the sheet music in place, while permitting full visibility of the sheet music. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.